


Dearest Constellation

by marvel_and_mischief



Category: Pedro Pascal - Fandom, Prospect (2018)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Mentions of Death, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:55:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26389774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvel_and_mischief/pseuds/marvel_and_mischief
Summary: You are house sitting for one of your Uncle’s home research facilities when you get a message alert from someone in space.
Relationships: Ezra (Prospect 2018)/Reader, Ezra (Prospect 2018)/You
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	1. Part I

As work trips go, staying in a state of the art home research facility in the middle of nowhere (somewhere in Iceland you think but you weren’t to know, for security reasons) sounded like a dream come true. Especially when you spent most of your working days sat in an uncomfortable leather chair greeting rude, brash business associates.

You worked at one of your Uncle’s research facilities in New York. You never pretended to understand his work (something to do with Astronomy), but you were damn good at being a people pleaser and keeping a smile on your face when faced with the worst people on earth. 

Stepping off the helicopter, you took in your surroundings. Fields of bright green spread as far as the eye could see on your left, and peering around the helicopter you could spot a mountain range, grey and sparkling white with snow. But as for anything manmade, you could see nothing.

You were escorted a few feet away from the chopper until the pilot could be heard.

“You need to walk straight for a mile.” He pointed towards the mountain range and through a trail of tall, pale birch trees. 

You gave him a look that said _‘you’ve got to be kidding me’_ but he just shrugged, scratching at his bushy, greying beard before giving you a thumbs up and returning to the helicopter. 

You imagined your father looking down on you now, shaking his head and damning his brother to hell for having you dumped in the middle of a patch of open grass. With the amount of money he owned, the least he could do was have a guide to take you to the front door.

It took you almost half an hour to reach the facility. It was hidden amongst tall trees and sat on a cliff edge overlooking a waterfall and ravine. It was stunning. The kind of picturesque landscape you had only seen in nature documentaries. 

You reached the ten foot tall electric fence that encircled the facility, scanning your ID card on what looked like a mail box with a pad on the front. It was so silent you thought it hadn’t worked until the gate slowly swung outwards to allow you access. 

The building itself you could only describe as futuristic. The front overlooking the cliff edge was floor to ceiling glass, with a sheltered balcony, the only access being from inside. The rest of it was a light grey, blending into its surroundings, and mostly windowless. It wasn’t a tall building but it was long; you imagined it could easily fit thirty different rooms. 

You reached what you assumed was the front door, the only indication being another screen to scan your ID card onto. This time there was a tiny beep, accepting your ID and sliding the door across to let you in. 

You followed the corridor until you found yourself in an open plan living area. This was the only part of the building so far that you thought looked homely. There was a fireplace that wouldn’t be out of place in a cottage, an L shaped couch that you would definitely be launching yourself onto tonight. And to the left, up a couple of steps, you were in the kitchen. A modern contrast to the living space, but this was where the floor to ceiling windows were. 

Your first instinct was to open the glass door and walk out onto the balcony. The smell of fresh water and wet rocks was pleasant and something you could easily get used to. You felt the mist from the waterfall hitting your face; a welcome feeling after your trek through the woods. It was chilly here, but you could imagine wrapping yourself up in a blanket and curling up with a book on the swing seat as the sun set in front of you. 

After all, your only job here was to house sit. Look after the place, keep it clean, report any problems whilst your Uncle was travelling city to city, from one million dollar facility to another. 

You would allow yourself a little respite before going back to the day job in a months time.

-

You had found your bedroom, a windowless square room, bare except for a TV in the wall (no signal but with access to pre-downloaded films and television), a bedside table and an alarm clock. The walls were white with not a mark on them. Your stomach dropped at the sight. It was no better than a prison cell, but then you remembered the view at the front of the building and decided if it became too claustrophobic, you would bring your comforter into the living area and sleep on the couch. 

You decided to explore. You wished you had been given a map to help you, there were so many doors in the walls of the corridors you walked down. You scanned your ID on the pads next to each door. Some flashed a red colour, meaning you couldn’t enter but most of them opened for you.

You saw a few more bedrooms, exactly like yours, that were towards the back of the building. There was an indoor hot tub and spa room to relax in, a room with herbs and small plants growing that you would need to remember to water regularly but it was the computer lab you found yourself most comfortable in.

You sat in front of a computer screen, typing in your company email address and password that you used to log into your workspace. The familiar Halcyon Labs logo spun in a circle as your desktop loaded up. 

The room was about the same size as your bedroom, with around ten computers spaced out along the wall in a horseshoe fashion. 

You checked your emails seeing no new messages in your inbox. Your Uncle had assured you that even though you were being paid to do this, you wouldn’t be disturbed by the New York facility unless it was an emergency. 

You chuckled at the thought of no work for the next four weeks, and was about to log off the computer when you saw something flash in the top right corner of the screen.

You leant forward in your chair and saw that the flash had been a pop up of an envelope with the number 11 attached to it in bold. 

Curious, you clicked on the icon. The screen turned black and for a moment your heart leapt into your throat thinking you had done something wrong. But just as quickly as it turned black, lines of white text appeared in succession. Eleven lines to be precise. 

**Is anybody receiving this message?**

**I would appreciate if somebody could respond.**

**I apologise for the inconvenience.**

**I seem to have got myself into a bothersome situation.**

**I wish not to trouble you but I have very little choice in the matter.**

**I have found myself without navigation and would appreciate the assistance.**

**My name is Ezra.**

**I am currently in a ship approximately 200,000 kilometres from the surface of the Earth.**

**My navigation system seems to be broken and I need a kind hearted person to guide me home.**

**I would very much be indebted to anybody who could help me.**

**I am most desperate.**

You weren’t quite sure what you were reading. Or why. But you felt your heart fall at the last message. Even more so when you noticed the time stamps on the messages. The first had been sent ten hours ago but the last message had been sent a couple of minutes ago. 

You knew exactly what you should do, and that is rattle off an emergency email to your Uncle and his PA explaining what you had found. 

But something didn’t feel right. And if somebody really was out there and needed your help, then the least you could do was try. 

So you clicked into the typing box at the bottom of the screen and pressed the enter key when you had finished.

**_Hello. I might be able to help?_**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra and Reader get to know each other.

He had been staring at the screen for hours, hoping and praying that someone would receive them. And when he wasn’t looking at the screen, he was watching the fuel gauge like a hawk. 

Nearly an hour ago it had gone from shining a burning amber to flashing a dangerous red. He had limited fuel and no navigation system to guide him back to the surface of the planet he wished so badly to be on. 

Ezra had had complete confidence in his sponsor, but he knew the ship was built with old Soviet tech, made to be _untraceable_ , not _unreliable._

His fist slammed down on the arm of his pilots seat. He had been in this ship for close to twenty one months. Nine months of travelling to Mars, three months of collecting research and then another nine months to get back to Earth. 

And he knew the dangers of travelling alone and ‘off-grid’. It had been made clear to him that if anything happened he would be alone, unable to ask for help because technically this mission didn’t exist, funded privately and secretly by a power hungry man with too much money. 

But he had come so damn close. He could see the blues and whites of the planet he called home from his seat up in the sky. _At least if I’m going to die, I couldn’t ask for a better view_ , he thought grimly. But he wasn’t going to give up that easily, it wasn’t in his nature. 

In his desperation (or more like self preservation) he had downloaded messaging software on his tablet, linking it to an IP address he had acquired when he had visited his sponsor’s home a few weeks before he left for space. Just incase something happened. And thank his lucky stars he did.

**I am most desperate.**

He would keep sending messages until his dying breath. Maybe a cleaner would come across it and alert the authorities. Or his sponsor would find them, discover a conscience he never knew he had and decide to go against his better judgement and help him. 

There was a very small chance that he would ever step foot on the surface of Earth again. It didn’t make him sad as such, he had nobody waiting for him after all. Nobody to miss him or shed tears for him. But he couldn’t deny the fear that crept into his bones of dying alone. No nurse to put him at ease, or a friend to hold his hand as he slipped away. It would be only him, in a cramped ship, watching the Earth spin and carry on without him. 

The unfamiliar sound of a beep from his tablet startled him out of his thoughts. He held his breath, not wishing to get his hopes up when he noticed a new line of text. 

_**Hello. I might be able to help?** _

He scoffed in disbelief. He looked away and rubbed his eyes, checking the tablet again to ensure he wasn’t hallucinating in his distressed state. 

It seemed somebody really had replied to his pleas. He eyed the fuel gauge, a visual ticking time bomb. He couldn’t waste any more time. 

**Good evening. I would be glad of any assistance you can provide. As per my previous messages you will know I am in a ship with no navigation system and cannot be guided back down to Earth without one.**

His hands clenched and unclenched as he awaited a reply. 

_**Is this real?** _

He sighed. He tried to put himself in the shoes of the person on the other end of the screen. He would probably be a little cautious too if he found strange messages on his tablet from someone claiming to be from space. But then this person must be in the very same computer room he had been shown around on his tour of his sponsor’s home facility. 

**It very much is. My fuel is running low but I have enough to safely land if I begin my descent in less than twelve hours. Can you help me?**

The skin on the inside of his cheek had been bitten raw, but the pain reminded him that he was still alive, and there was still hope.

_**I’m not sure. What can I do from all the way down here?** _

Ezra began to grin, his heart hurting from the range of emotions he had been through. 

**I need somewhere to safely land. It must be remote, with no chance of someone stumbling upon my plight.**

**_Where were you going to land before your nav broke?_ **

**I have no idea. That information was stored in the Navigation System.**

He found himself fiddling with the threads of his trousers, his uselessness frustrating him. He needed this person to stop asking stupid questions.

_**I will find somewhere, Ezra. Is there anything else I can do in the meantime?** _

He suddenly felt bad for being impatient. This person could have ignored him, or told him to fuck off, or not believe him at all. But they were helping him. He couldn’t believe his luck. 

**I only ask that you keep me company, and that you be my guiding star.**

-

In amongst looking at various maps online, you had been doing your own research on this stranger. Which turned up absolutely nothing. There were no one-man missions to space, no ‘Ezra’ if that was even his real name. 

But if his fate rested in your hands alone, he couldn’t deny you any nosey questions, could he?

_**How were you able to message me? Do you work for my Uncle?** _

**I believe your Uncle to be the sponsor of this mission I have been partaking in. He has, however, left me high and dry. I took the details of the computer you are communicating to me on when I last visited.**

You supposed that made sense, sort of. You knew your Uncle’s work was in the field of Astronomy, even if you didn’t understand anything beyond that. 

_**Why won’t he help you?** _

His reply took longer to reach you than the others had. Maybe you were asking too many questions. Maybe this was all a big joke at your expense and someone was messing with you. You had always been too nice for your own good. 

**The mission is undisclosed. Not even I know all the motives behind it. You cannot tell anybody, my guiding star.**

You felt your heart begin to race. What started off as curiosity was suddenly becoming very intimidating. If your Uncle found out you were helping this man, what would he do? Disown you? Fire you? Would any of that matter if you left a man to die stranded in space though?

**Do not worry, no one can access these messages.**

As though he had heard your quiet panicking he had put your mind to rest. Your eyes darted to the computer on your left with the various maps of open space and remote islands. You had logged into a second computer so that you didn’t have to click off Ezra’s messages. 

You realised how mad this all was. A couple of hours ago you were excited at the idea of a relaxing few weeks away from work, in the most beautiful wilderness, away from civilisation. You were looking forward to sitting by the fireplace, drinking hot cocoa every night and relishing in the lack of car horns and noisy chatter of people that you were used to in the city. 

And now you were helping some spaceman get back to Earth. 

_**I’m just going to get a drink, I’ll be back in ten minutes.** _

You made your way to the kitchen, the motion sensor lights flickering on as you switched on the coffee machine and sat at the island.

The sun had already set, the sky now a darkening blue. You could see a splattering of stars and you imagined if you were facing Ezra. If you could unknowingly see him in amongst the twinkling of lights. You wondered if he was thinking the same thing about you as he looked down on the Earth. 

You were overcome with the image of him floating in space for the rest of his days. When the fuel ran out would he spin out of control and crash land on Earth? Or would he be space junk for eternity? You were the only person who could decide his fate and that terrified you.

You had the sudden urge to want to go back home. Back to your cheap apartment in New York where the rent was too high and you’d had no working air conditioning unit for nearly a year now. Where the cat from the apartment above you kept creeping in through your window that you had to leave open, setting off your allergies every single time. 

The same place you would have to go to work and deal with men in suits who didn’t like to be told that you _“couldn’t just send them up to meet the boss without an appointment”_. Where you literally had to dodge a flying stapler once from Amanda in HR because you were bringing up another complaint from a disgruntled member of public. 

At least your ordinary job didn’t involve life and death. You felt like an executioner, forced into the role because nobody else wanted to make the hard decisions. 

You turned around and filled a mug with fresh coffee, adding sweetener but leaving out the milk. You needed something strong to get you through the night. 

As you sat in front of your computer screens, you saw that Ezra had sent you another message.

**No problem, my star. Sustenance is important when being a hero.**

You swallowed the lump in your throat. You didn’t think being a hero suited you. 

You needed a distraction from how truly absurd this whole situation was, and you suspected Ezra needed one too.

_**What’s the first thing you’ll do when you get back?** _

You took a sip of your coffee, reeling back when the sour taste hit the back of your throat. 

**I will devour a juicy steak.**

A giggle escaped you. You weren’t expecting that answer but you thought about what he would have been eating, the rations and dry food that were for nutrition rather than pleasure.

**What are you drinking?**

**_Black coffee._ **

**Just how I like it. Savour the tangy, earthy taste for me, my star.**

The affectionate nickname he had coined for you was spreading a warm feeling around in your chest. Or maybe it was the coffee, you weren’t sure. Whichever it was, you were feeling more at ease than you had been earlier. 

**_I will make you the best damn coffee you’ve ever tasted when you get back._ **

You wondered if you would ever meet him. You hoped so. You didn’t know his voice, you didn’t even know what he looked like, but you were getting along like old friends. And you hoped you could check, in person, that he was safe and well when all of this was over. 

**I would be most thankful.**

You turned to your other computer, searching for vast spaces that a ship could land on without anybody noticing. It was a lot harder than you thought it would be. 

**Do you read fiction?**

You frowned at the question. You used to be a bookworm, when you were a little girl, and even in your teenage years. But then you went to college and suddenly you were swapping out stories with reference books, read only to add to your dissertations and exams. 

**_Not as much as I wish I could. Life gets in the way, you know?_ **

**I understand. I brought a few books with me but I read them sooner than I anticipated. There is little entertainment in space.**

You snorted. So he was book smart. And funny. You were liking this guy more and more. You really hoped you could save him.

**_I used to like the Narnia books. I wanted to be Lucy and be friends with Mr Tumnus. I spent hours in my mum’s wardrobe waiting for the back to open up into another world._ **

You would have been embarrassed to admit that to someone in person, but typing it out gave you a certain kind of anonymity. And you were warming up to Ezra the more he opened up to you.

**You are a lover of fantasy, how interesting. I preferred my literature to be on the morbid side, even as a child. Lord of the Flies was a favourite.**

Your eyebrows shot up at the confession. You were starting to get a picture of an eccentric character, someone left field, humorous but clearly literate to the extreme. You were fascinated. 

-

Ezra was smiling at the screen. For nearly two years he had been on his own with no contact with any living thing. He would never have called himself an extrovert, but listening to his own voice over and over again had started to drive him mad. He was getting a hit of serotonin from his interactions with his guiding star. 

**_Can I ask you something?_ **

Ezra frowned at the question, feeling as though it wasn’t going to be about his favourite book.

**I am in no position to deny you anything.**

**_Is there anybody I can contact? Parents or siblings? To let them know what’s happened?_ **

His smile turned forlorn as he thought of the parents long buried, friends who had abandoned him years ago, even the lovers he had taken as a young man who soon got bored of his quirky nature. 

**No, there is no need for that.**

He didn’t want to make her feel bad. Her kindness had gone beyond what he had asked of her already.

**But thank you for the thought, my star. It is appreciated more than you can imagine.**

He felt the sting of tears behind his eyes. He was so fortunate to have found a soul to be in contact with in these moments. A compassionate soul at that.

He cleared his throat and stood from his chair to stretch his legs. He hadn’t moved from the console since the first message he sent hours ago. His back ached and his knees creaked as he stood as tall as he could in the small space. 

He was getting old. He had been a traveller all his life, an explorer or sorts. He was more used to mountainous terrains than space. But the years of pushing his body to the limits had taken its toll. 

Scars pulled taut in the wrong places, bones clicked when they shouldn’t. He had planned to live a quiet retirement with the money earned from this mission. It would have been enough to see him into old age. 

He wanted to buy a ranch, much like the one he grew up on. Have a few animals, not too many and not anything that would need a lot of maintenance. Just peace. That’s all he craved now. 

He sat back down with a sigh, rolling his shoulders back. He could still have that if his star pulled through.


	3. Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader guides Ezra back to Earth, but will it be a success?

It had taken another hour before you found somewhere suitable for Ezra to land. There was an island, a few thousand miles from New Zealand, that was secluded enough that no one would notice the sudden appearance of a spaceship, but not too barren that there were no transport links to get him back to civilisation. 

_**It will be a few hours walk to a small village on the other side of the hills, and then you will need to take a 32 hour yacht ride to get you back to the mainland.** _

**That sounds delightful.**

**_Is that sarcasm?_ **

**I have been in this ship for nearly two years. Another few days in unfamiliar territory will be no skin off my back.**

You found the co-ordinates, and Ezra helped you with where he was in relation to Earth and before you knew it you were guiding him back to Earth. 

**I am most looking forward to having a bath.**

You chuckled. You realised you missed that too. You might have to jump into the hot tub when all this was over. 

**_Shouldn’t you be concentrating?_ **

**I have voice recognition.**

**_You should wrap up warm when you arrive, it’s cold in the southern hemisphere._ **

**Will it be raining? I would give anything to feel droplets of rain on my face.**

**_I’m sure it’ll rain at some point. You’ll be down there for a few days remember._ **

It was like humouring a child excited to be going on holiday. You couldn’t imagine being away from the planet for so long and missing the simple things you took for granted. 

You kept one eye on the virtual 3D map of space you had on your screen. You were trying to visualise where Ezra’s ship was from what he had told you. He was this side of the moon but you were struggling to see how he would make it to exactly where you needed him to go.

**_Are you sure I shouldn’t try and contact someone who knows what they’re doing?_ **

**I am sure, my star. You are doing a wonderful job. I can do most of the work from here, you just need to keep me company.**

You sighed in relief. You opened up an internet tab and searched for a local news website for New Zealand. You’d keep an eye on it over the next few days on the slight chance Ezra’s landing made a buzz.

**_What else are you looking forward to?_ **

**I think I would like to hear laughter. You know when children laugh? They do so without constraint, they let it bubble out uninhibited. It is the most beautiful sound in the world.**

**And I want to feel warm sand on my toes. I am being greedy with my wishes but I haven’t seen the sea often in my life so I want to go to a beach and throw off my sandals and bury my feet in the sand.**

You didn’t think he was being greedy at all. The situation was overwhelming you once more. The weight of what was happening felt heavy on your chest, like a stone slab was being pushed down onto you, preventing you from being able to breathe properly. 

You needed this to go well, but you felt hopeless, your job done, and now all you could do was wait for Ezra to tell you everything had gone smoothly. 

You needed him to eat steak and take a bath and walk on sandy beaches again. 

Over the course of the next day, in amongst toilet and coffee breaks but not much else, you and Ezra talked about everything and nothing. 

You had managed to paint a good picture of what he looked like in your mind. He had no social media to look at pictures so you had to ask him what he looked like. A tall man, messy brown hair with a streak of blonde at the front. 

**_Is that you trying to be cool?_ **

**It is a mark from birth if you must know. It is my most interesting feature.**

You didn’t believe that. He had a crescent shaped scar on his left cheek which sounded much more interesting.

**Bar fight when I was in college. I was full of hubris and thought I could fight a man twice my size.**

**_Did you win at least?_ **

**Yes. Through my cunning wit not my fists.**

You told him about yourself, receiving plenty of compliments from Ezra. You imagined he was a charming man in person, something that couldn’t be portrayed through a computer screen. You hoped you got to witness his charm face to face one day. 

**As I make my final descent, I would like to convey my appreciation once more. I would be nothing but space junk, left to float and waste away if it wasn’t for you.**

**Even if this is not successful, I am glad to have had a friend one last time.**

You swallowed the lump threatening to climb up your throat. In a selfish way you were glad he found you and nobody else. You had always prided yourself on trying to be a good person, and your job entailed being helpful and pleasant. You realised this had started out as you doing a job, aiding a member of the public as you did at work.

But now you had made a friend. You genuinely cared for Ezra. You looked forward to his messages so much you hadn’t been able to leave the computer lab for more than a few minutes at a time, not wanting to be separated any more than you already were. 

**_I’m glad you found me._ **

You had no idea how to respond, so you thought you’d be honest. 

You tapped your fingers rhythmically against the edge of the desk as you waited for his reply. Seconds turned into minutes and you were afraid you’d been too honest and made him uncomfortable. 

**_Sorry. I just mean it’s been really nice to talk to you. And I’m glad I could help you._ **

Your heart starting hammering in your chest. Had something gone wrong? Or was he just too busy now he was close to entering Earth’s atmosphere?

You refreshed the news page but nothing had changed. Of course it hadn’t. No one should know anything about his landing, that was the whole point of finding somewhere remote for him to land. 

**_Ezra?_ **

Your last ditch attempt at a response was left unanswered. 

-

In the weeks following the last message you sent to Ezra, things were how you had imagined they would be when you first entered the facility. The only difference being an added fidgetiness as you refreshed news pages every hour.

You hadn’t heard anything more from Ezra, or your Uncle for that matter. He said he would leave you alone but that didn’t stop you from being nervous that something was wrong, or he had found out about you correspondences with your spaceman. 

Which was obviously ridiculous. You trusted Ezra when he had told you the messages were inaccessible; nobody would know you had done anything you weren’t supposed to.

When the last day of your vacation came around, you found yourself anxiously pacing the living area. You had deleted all of your computer history, even rebooting the two computers you had used back to their factory settings, sending an email to your Uncle’s PA that they had been playing up and it was the only thing you could do to get them working again. You weren’t a technical person so you hoped they would never ask you about them.

You were taking in the view from the balcony one last time when your phone started ringing. The cocoa in your mug spilled into your lap and your whole body lurched forward in surprise. And horror. Who could be ringing you this late at night?

You looked at the caller ID, seeing that it was your Uncle’s PA. 

“Fuck,” you breathed through your nose as you mentally prepared yourself, praying it was just to check that you were ready to fly back out to New York in the morning.

“Hello?” Your voice was shakier than you intended. Fortunately Susan was none the wiser.

“Ah, I assume you’re packing with how long it took you to answer your phone?” Her tone wasn’t unkind, but she was a very professional woman who took her time very seriously.

“Sorry, yeah, just getting ready for tomorrow.”

“Good. Do you remember how to get back to where the helicopter dropped you off when you arrived?”

You remembered the line of birch trees and open fields you had walked through. As long as you kept walking straight you shouldn’t get lost.

“I think so, yeah.” You nodded, despite the fact she couldn’t see you.

“Good. The helicopter will be there for 8am. Also I am to tell you that your Uncle will be expecting you to attend a Gala on Saturday evening. I’ll send the details to your work email when you get back home.”

Your brow furrowed. That was in two days, which meant jet lag and achey limbs and not enough time to pull yourself together into the respectable _‘niece of the boss’_ that would be required of you.

“Do I have to go? I’m going to be so tired-“

“It’s in honour of your Uncle and the successful opening of several new facilities around the country. It would look bad if you weren’t there.”

You let out a resounding sigh at your fate. You were already thinking up plenty of excuses to leave early.

“I will have a flask of black coffee waiting for you in the car when it picks you up for the gala.”

You snickered. To be fair to Susan, she had always been good to you. 

“Thank you Susan. I’ll see you Saturday?”

“Yes, see you Saturday.”

You hung up, your heart still racing from the earlier scare. You were still worried that someone would find out about Ezra, but for now you would spend the last few hours of your stay here, relishing in the view of the stars in the sky, hoping Ezra was on Earth somewhere doing the same.

-

You had spent most of the fifteen hour flight back to New York sleeping, and when you weren’t doing that you were reading _Lord of the Flies._ You had downloaded it onto your phone with the intention of reading it whilst you were still at the facility, but with your anxious mind and the inability to sit still for a minute, you hadn’t had the mental strength to read a book.

You had resigned yourself to the fact you would probably never find out about what had happened to Ezra. Maybe you could bring it up in conversation with your Uncle a few years from now. When so much time had passed that he couldn’t be angry with you and he would give you an honest answer. But you doubted it would pacify the restlessness in your heart. He had taken over your thoughts from the second you had sent that first message. He occupied your dreams when you thought about meeting him for the first time, hearing him laugh in person, treating him to the coffee you had promised to make him when he safely returned to Earth.

There was a sadness to you that you hoped would pass in time. Because you couldn’t bear the thought of yearning for a man you had never met for the rest of your life.

You were stood in front of the tall mirror in your bedroom. You were pleased to find out that the Air Con had been fixed whilst you were away. The landlord must had received a stern talking to from Susan. 

You ran your hands along the maroon fabric of your dress, a velvety material that reminded you of luxury, wealth, importance. You used to feel uncomfortable wearing clothes like these, an imposter, especially surrounded by the humbleness of your apartment. But now you made the most of these moments where you could pretend to be grand, powerful even. It was only for a few hours after all.

You grabbed your purse and made your way to the front of the building where an expensive SUV was waiting for you. And just as Susan had promised, a flask of hot coffee was sat in the drinks stand in the door as it was opened for you.

“Thank you, Sam,” you climbed into the back seat, smiling at the driver who took you to these galas. An older gentleman who always seemed pleased to see you.

As you were driven to the gala you sipped at your coffee, despite the temperature burning the roof of your mouth. You had spent a long time trying to hide the bags under your eyes with make-up, but the fatigue was still there. You could feel it when you blinked, your eyes begging you to keep them closed and get more sleep.

Sam slowed down in front of the building you worked in. The outside had been transformed from the usual mundane white building, and decorated with hundreds of multicoloured lights. The inside was already packed by the looks of it. 

Your door opened and you manoeuvred yourself to step out of the car in the most dignified way you could muster.

“I will be waiting around the back. For when you’ve had enough.” Sam winked conspiratorially, and you were grateful that you had a way out when you became too tired to function, which was inevitable. 

The reception area was unrecognisable. The long desk you and your colleagues sat at on a work day had been cleared, numerous mini towers of glasses filled with champagne placed across it. There were trays of nibbles also, most were topped with caviar, raw fish, pates, all of which made you feel queasy. You should have eaten something before you came out.

A gentle hand on your shoulder spun you around to face them. Your Uncle, wearing a crisp navy suit that looked like it had come straight out of a mens magazine. Despite the warm smile he greeted you with, you could tell he was in ‘work mode’, addressing you with one eye on the important people around you.

“Hello darling, how was the vacation?” He kissed you on the cheek, a firm but comforting hand still resting on your shoulder.

“It was lovely, thank you Uncle. I can’t remember the last time I was so relaxed.” You hoped your smile was convincing. It _would_ have been very relaxing, if certain things hadn’t happened, so you weren’t completely lying. 

“I’m glad to hear it. Oh, let me introduce you to someone.” You didn’t see what, or who, had caught his attention until you felt a presence coming up behind you, a large hand pressed respectively into the middle of your back. 

It was the shock of blonde that made the breath catch in your throat. You thought you were going to choke, unable to remember how to properly breathe. And it could have been a coincidence of course, and if it was one then it would be proof of a higher being, one who laughed in the face of your bad luck and allowed it to happen.

You _just_ registered your uncle talking but you couldn’t pay attention because the man next to you was having a moment of his own. He must have heard about your relation to his boss because his eyes went wide at you, his hand moving to travel from your back to the crook of your elbow, as though subtly trying to prove to himself that you were, in fact, real and in front of him. 

You heard your Uncle chuckle at the two of you, and you suddenly felt self conscious, not knowing how long you had been staring at Ezra. You carefully pulled your arm out of his hold.

“Ezra here has been doing some very important business at the Texas facility.” Your Uncle continued, but you weren’t really listening. Didn’t care what lie he was telling you. Your heart felt weightless for the first time in a month. Your Ezra was standing in front of you, safe and alive. Your eyes raked over him slowly, taking him in. 

He held out his hand and you took it, shaking it, feeling the callouses on his palm, the warmth from his nervousness. It wasn’t until he let go that you told him your name which brought out the biggest, goofiest smile you had ever seen. It made you giggle.

“Alright I’ll leave you both to it. I will see you on Monday.” But again, you were only half listening, barely registering that you were now left alone with your spaceman. 

“I was worried-“

“You look wonderful-“

You both snorted ungracefully and a little too loud for the quiet murmurs of the room. He nodded for you to take the lead.

“I didn’t get any more messages. I thought something had gone wrong.”

“It was a bumpy landing, for sure, but I survived. Though one limb less, at least I am here to see you in the flesh.” His smile turned down slightly at the mention of the limb, and you realised you hadn’t noticed where his right arm should be was a short stump, the edge of his sleeve folded up around it. 

“I- I am so sorry.” What you were sorry for, you didn’t know. You had gone through so many scenarios in your head about what had happened to Ezra when, _if_ , he landed, but this wasn’t one of them. 

“Now what is there for you to be sorry about, my star? There will never be enough words, or actions, for me to fully convey how thankful I am that you came to my aid. I am fortunate to be alive, and it is all because of you.”

Your smile was bashful, and his was in awe of you. The brief silence wasn’t awkward as you both comprehended what was happening. That you had found each other, despite the unbelievably low chance of ever meeting, here you were drinking each other in. 

“Have you managed to do all the things you wanted to?”

Ezra hummed in thought, his eyes never leaving you. “I enjoyed a rare steak when I reached Texas. And I have indulged in many a bath.” 

You would never admit the images that conjured, but you think he could tell when he gave you a wink.

“But there is one thing I’m been craving, rather greedily I must admit.”

“And what’s that?”

“If I remember correctly, you promised me the best damn coffee I have ever tasted. I assumed it was a promise.”

His lips turned up into a smirk, and you remember imagining his charm and what it would be like to witness it in person. It set your heart ablaze. 

“Well if you stick around, I could make it for you in the morning?” 

His eyes lit up at the insinuation, a breathy chuckle escaping him at your boldness. His hand found its way to your back again, a little lower than where it had rested before. 

“I find myself an impatient man this evening.”

“I have someone waiting in a car around the back.”

“Would you like to move this to some place more discreet?”

You looked around, spotting your Uncle by the pop up bar talking to some associates and you remembered Susan mentioning how it would look bad if you weren’t here to support him. You honestly didn’t care. You hadn’t been able to get Ezra out of your mind for weeks. And now you had him here, you could hold his hand and smell his cologne and he wasn’t thousands of miles away, the only communication between the two of you being a black computer screen. 

You weren’t going to take this luck for granted. Who knew when you would be separated by _actual space_ once again?

“I would love to.” You leaned up and kissed the light scruff on his cheek, not caring that this was literally the first time you had met each other. Not caring if your Uncle saw and thought it inappropriate. 

The firm grip on your lower back and the glint in his eye told you he was excited for what was to come. Not just tonight, but in the future too. Ezra would spend the rest of his life showing you how thankful he was that you were his guiding star.


End file.
